


Panic

by carrionkid



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 16:28:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6016483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrionkid/pseuds/carrionkid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I got triggered by s02e14 and s02e15 and I thought, 'hey, what better way to vent my trauma feels than to explore a character's trauma'. So yeah.<br/>-<br/>“This came in the mail today,” J.J tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “It was sent directly to us, we don’t know who it is in the video or who sent it to us. Gideon wants us to look into it, try to figure out who she is…” She swallowed hard and clicked the remote on the projector. The video was grainy and dark, recorded with a shaky hand.</p>
<p>“W-why are you doing this?” the girl’s voice was quiet and hoarse, she sat on the ground with her back against the wall of wherever it was. The cameraman walked over to her and crouched down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Panic

“This came in the mail today,” J.J tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “It was sent directly to us, we don’t know who it is in the video or who sent it to us. Gideon wants us to look into it, try to figure out who she is…” She swallowed hard and clicked the remote on the projector. The video was grainy and dark, recorded with a shaky hand. 

“W-why are you doing this?” the girl’s voice was quiet and hoarse, she sat on the ground with her back against the wall of wherever it was. The cameraman walked over to her and crouched down.

“You know exactly why I’m doing this.” his voice was soft, it could almost be mistaken for gentleness. She shuddered; blood matted her hair and stained the white T-shirt emblazoned with a cracked picture of Tweety Bird. 

Garcia gasped and covered her mouth. The corner of Hotchner’s lips twitched. Reid’s face flushed red and he grabbed at the arms of the chair he sat in. Morgan crossed his arms and ground his teeth together, trying to swallow his anger.

“No, no I don’t…” she whimpered softly, “I don’t know…” The man threw the camera to the ground and slapped her across the face.

“YES, YOU DO.”

The girl started to cry. Reid coughed once, then retched and vomited; he spat bile out of his mouth and tangled his fingers in his hair. He pulled at the curls and stood up.

“Reid?” Hotch spoke first. Reid hit the ground, landed on his hands and knees, and crawled under the conference table.

“Shit! Someone, get Gideon, I got him,” Morgan kept a level tone, cool and in control. J.J crouched down by the table. Reid had his knees pulled in towards his chest and was rocking gently. His left hand curled tightly around his hair and pulled at it, while his left hand was by his mouth. He gnawed with his molars on the tips of his first and second fingers. Morgan joined her, kneeling on the floor as well. 

“Reid? Can you hear me?” Morgan spoke softly; Reid didn’t react, just kept rocking. 

“Hey, Spence?” J.J smiled and he looked at her with recognition, then stopped chewing at his fingertips. 

“Hey, Spence, it’s just me.” she gestured to the left, “Morgan’s here, too.”

“Can you talk, Spencer?” Morgan moved to sit cross-legged on the floor. Reid shook his head ‘no’ and kept rocking slowly.

“Do you know where you are?” Reid nodded at J.J, “That’s good, Spence. Can you tell me where we are?”

He pulled his fingers from his mouth, “Q-quantico?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“J… You… Okay?”

“That’s right, I’m okay, you are too.” she smiled again.

“I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, man, but you’re gonna be okay.”

J.J extended her hand, loose and open with the palm up, “Can you take my hand?”

“Take my hand, take my hand,” Reid’s voice dropped to a whisper, “ _ take my hand, take my hand. _ ” He reached out and wrapped his fingers around her as tight as he could. J.J guided him out from underneath the table; he moved on his hands and knees and sat on the floor outside of the table. 

“Now, let’s get your shirt off, buddy.”

Reid let out a low sort of whimper.

“I know, I know, but it’s covered in vomit.”

“It’s bright…” Reid swallowed and curled his left hand in his hair again. Morgan undid the buttons on his shirt and stopped. 

“Hey, J.J, can you get his shirt off, I’m gonna take off my sweatshirt to give to him.”

“Sure,” she put her other hand on Reid’s left hand, “Let’s get you out of this, okay?” Reid nodded; she pulled his hand down to rest on the floor and lifted his right arm in the air. She slipped the sleeve over his hand and repeated it with his other arm. Morgan threw her the sweatshirt, which she pulled over his head. Reid’s hair obscured his eyes and he made an uncertain noise. 

“Hey, Spence, feelin’ better?” Reid nodded again.

J.J looked towards the door, “It’s okay for you to come in now. He’s alright.” Gideon and Hotchner walked into the room and crouched down next to Morgan and J.J. 


End file.
